Category: News & Info

“All about that personality crisis, you got it while it was hot” — New York Dolls

Who would have thought that a line from a 45-year-old song by a bunch of gender-bending glam rockers would so eloquently capture the state of gravel and adventure bikes in 2018? Gravel–and now, adventure–bikes have historically been difficult to define. Only a few short years ago, many gravel bikes were simply re-badged cyclocross rigs fitted with marginally wider tires and lower gears. While some companies did take chances and design their gravel/adventure bikes from the tires up, many were merely derivatives of someone else’s opinion of what a gravel bike was supposed to look like. Continue Reading “2018 Sea Otter Classic — The State of Gravel”→

Rolling up to the outdoor bike locker on a chilly Monday morning, something didn’t look right. My trusty Kryptonite was still attached (and locked), but the door was slightly ajar. Upon closer inspection, I could see that the locker’s handle (and my u-lock) had sustained some serious abuse. A gentle tug easily opened the door, revealing further damage to the locker’s latch and hinges. None of other the bike lockers appeared to have suffered any damage, so it was safe to assume that my locker was specifically targeted (either that or the would-be thief had a strong dislike for orange u-locks).

This incident underscores the fact that your bicycle’s security is only as strong as the weakest link (no pun intended). While my Kryptonite lock sustained only superficial damage (torn vinyl covering), the locker itself proved to be far more vulnerable. Bottom line: make sure that whatever you’re locking your bike to is as strong as your lock.

Words by Amanda Wilks

Your MTB performance depends on two factors. One very large factor is your intrinsic motivation. Why are you in this game? What drives you? Is it a habit? An addiction? Are you doing it because it’s the thing you dream at night, you wake up for, and you want to do for the rest of your life? If that’s so, then technology is what will fuel your ambition and aspiration. Technology is the second most important performance factor. Carbon, computers, dropper seatposts, you name it, they’ll invent it.